Quigley hosts advisory council
On Feb. 8, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, Vice-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, hosted his annual LGBTQ Advisory Council meeting with LGBTQ non-profit and community leaders, activists and advocates for an update on the status of issues facing the community locally and nationally.
Quigley talked about issues such as the effect of Illinois' budget impact on LGBTQ people and service providers, the formation of the new Transgender Equality Task Force, his efforts to move the Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( ENDA ) through Congress and the advancement of the FDA's blood donation for men who have sex with men.
The meeting was held at the law firm Jenner and Block.
CDC: Disparities in care for Blacks
African-Americans living with HIV are less likely than white or Latino-Americans to receive consistent, ongoing medical care, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) report.
Key findings from the report, released ahead of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ( observed Feb. 7 ), include:
—Only 38 percent of African-Americans got consistent HIV care during 2011-14, compared to about half of white and Latino-Americans;
—African-American men were less likely to receive consistent medical care than their female counterparts ( 35 percent and 44 percent, respectively ); and
—Consistent retention was highest among African-Americans whose HIV infections were attributable to heterosexual contact.
The report is at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6504a2.htm.
Wolfson to address NEIU grads May 9
LGBT-rights leader Evan Wolfson will speak at Northeastern Illinois University's commencement ceremony on Monday, May 9.
Commencement will take place at UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave.
Considered by many to be the leader of the marriage equality movement, Wolfson is the founder and president of Freedom to Marry, the successful campaign driving the strategy to win marriage for same-sex couples throughout the United States.
Report looks at LGBT groups' financial health
The 2015 National LGBT Movement Report—which provides a comprehensive snapshot of the financial health of LGBT social-justice advocacy organizations—has been released.
The 38 organizations examined for the 2015 report collectively represent 66 percent of the budgets of all such groups and/or businesses. A few of the organizations profiled include Equality Federation, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign and Foundation, Transgender Law Center and Point Foundation.
Among other things, the report shows:
—LGBT social-justice organizations' revenues experienced a decline in revenue for the first time since the Great Recession of 2007-08;
—The racial and ethnic diversity of paid staff at participating organizations have similar diversity to the overall population: 38 percent of paid staff identify as people of color compared to 38 percent of the U.S. population. However, among senior staff, the percentage who are people of color was 35 percent. Also, 46 percent of all staff are women and 8 percent identify as transgender;
—Fundraising and individual donations continue to increase, with a notable spike in individual giving, which increased 11 percent from 2013 to 2014 for participating LGBT nonprofits, compared to a 5.7-percent increase in individual giving for nonprofits nationwide; and
—In 2014, organizations reported an average of nearly six months of available working capital, a 2-percent increase from 2013.
See www.lgbtmap.org/2015-national-lgbt-movement-report#sthash.LnQ4yooG.dpuf.
BYP policy program includes LGBTQs
Black Youth Project ( BYP ) 100, an activist member-based organization of Black 18-to-35-year-olds, released the "Agenda to Build Black Futures," which includes the LGBTQ community, according to a Chicago Reader article.
Among other things, the agenda calls for the adoption of a workers' bill of rights, divesting from for-profit prisons and reparations to address the impact of slavery on Black lives.
On its website, the organization says, "We envision a more economically just society that values the lives and well-being of all black people, including women, queer, and transgender folks, the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, as well as those who languish in the bottom 1% of the economic hierarchy."
Windy City Times recently interviewed BYP100 leader Charlene Carruthers. In part, she said, "We do our work through a Black, queer feminist lens, which means that we work very hard to center the most marginalized of the marginalized in the Black community. We carry out our mission through transformative leadership development, public policy advocacy, direct action organizing and civic engagement."
The Reader article is at www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2016/02/02/black-youth-project-100-releases-the-agenda-to-build-black-futures .
Horan is LAGBAC's new president
The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago ( LAGBAC ) has named Cecilia Horan as its new president—becoming the first woman leader of the organization.
Horan is a partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, where she concentrates her practice in tort litigation and insurance coverage disputes. She previously served as LAGBAC's vice-president and chaired the Special Events Committee, which has maintained a presence at Chicago Market Days and organized an annual Pride reception for Cook County judges.
The outgoing President, John Litchfield of Foley & Lardner LLP, led LAGBAC since 2010.
Founded in 1987, LAGBAC is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the professional development and advancement of LGBT legal professionals. See LAGBAC.org .
Man held on $1M bond after stabbing
By Matt Simonette
A Chicago man is being held on a $1 million bond for stabbing his boyfriend to death after an argument about their relationship, Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Clifton Hooker, 32, was charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his boyfriend, Alphonzo Guinyard, 26, in the back Jan. 24. Judge Adam D. Bourgeois ordered the bond Jan. 26.
Guinyard visited Hooker's home in the 3400 block of West Polk Street, and at some point demanded to see Hooker's phone because he thought Hooker was cheating on him. Hooker called 911 and said an "unwanted person" was in his home, after which the fight escalated further. Hooker allegedly then retrieved the knife and stabbed Guinyard.
Prosecutors said that Hooker admitted to the stabbing in a second 911 call, and that Guinyard was unarmed. Guinyard was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple had been dating since 2014.
The Chicago Sun-Times' story is at bit.ly/1UY8geV .
Black health events Feb. 10, 13
TACTS ( The Association of Clinical Trial Service ) is bringing attention to the plight of Black/African descendants' health and well-being.
The organization has partnered with several agencies to produce two community events. The first is on Wed., Feb. 10th, 6-8 pm, with co-sponsorship from the Chicago Urban League, 4510 S. Michigan Ave., in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ( Feb. 7 ). It will be a strategic planning meeting on how to get to zero new infections within the Black community.
The second event will be held Saturday, Feb. 13, 1-3 p.m. at the Westside Health Authority, 4926 W. Chicago Ave. This event will highlight the call to action for policies and solutions as it pertains to the 2016 National Black Agenda Consortium for Health and Wellness in Chicago.
For more information, contact Sista Yaa Simpson at 312-961-6189 or Tacts4us@gmail.com .
